5 Reasons you need a road bicycle jersey

Do you really need a road bicycle jersey? Arguably, you could wear any top, jumper, vest, shirt or tee shirt on a cycle ride but “any” top is not the best option. In order to get the most out of your cycle rides you need to be cool and comfortable in the warmer weather and warm and comfortable when the temperatures are lower. The only way to ensure you are totally comfortable is to wear a specific cycling top.

Want to cycle like this? You're going to need a road cycling jersey.

If you don’t believe me, check out the following 5 reasons why you need a specific cycle jersey.

1) A road bicycle jersey will keep you comfortable

All road specific cycle jerseys are made out of special wicking fabric that is designed to take sweat away from the skin, hence preventing any chafing that may occur which makes the ride more comfortable. The same fabric is also lightweight and breathable, which will help keep you cool and make regulating your body temperature that much easier.

A proper jersey is also ergonomically cut so it fits the upper body correctly, which means it will be tight in the places where it is meant to be tight and looser in the places where you need a bit more movement, such as around the armpits.

Road cycling tops are also longer at the back than at the front, which means the back won’t ride up over the top of your shorts when you are bent over the handle bars. Ultimately, this means your lower back won’t get cold and you won’t be exposing a butt crack to other road users, which is never a good look.

2) There is a road bicycle jersey to suit all conditions

The real keen cyclists will ride all year round, regardless of the seasons and what Mother Nature throws at them. Consequently, there is a jersey top for all weather conditions.

There a plenty of different cycle tops available including sleeveless, short sleeved, long sleeved, light weight, heavy weight, breathable, thermal, fleece lined..... the list goes on and on, and the the options are endless. This means you can buy a sleeveless, light weight and breathable jersey for those hot summer days and a long sleeved, fleece lined bicycle jersey for the cold winter nights, and something for everything in between. With such a large choice there is something for all cyclists.

With so many different types of cycling top available, there is no way you can use the weather or the prevailing conditions as an excuse to not go out for a ride.

3) A road bicycle jersey will help you ride faster

A loose fitting cycle jersey would flap around in the wind and act like a sail which would create drag. This not only slows you down, but also means you have to expend a lot more energy to maintain your speed. Ultimately, cyclists strive for maximum speed with minimum effort, and a baggy cycling top is not going to achieve this.

A road cycling top is designed and made to be a nice tight fit, although not so tight you can’t move of course. With a tight fitting cycling top there is no excess fabric to flap around in the wind therefore there is minimal drag, which will help you cycle faster. Minimal drag also means you won’t have to expend as much energy whilst out on your ride, which is always a good thing.

4) A road bicycle jersey can store your cycling essentials

A road cycling specific top will have a large pocket on the back, located at your lower back. This pocket is ideal to store the cycling essentials, such as a small pump, a couple of energy bars, your house/car keys, your cell phone (in case you get in trouble), a small tool kit and anything else you may want to take on a ride with you.

You could keep these items in your short’s pockets (if your padded cycling sorts have one of course, many don’t) or in a fanny pack, but both of these options hamper your cycling technique. Storing these items in a back pocket is actually very comfortable, and you will soon forget they are even there.

5) A road bicycle jersey looks cool

Finally, cycling specific tops look cool. If you look good, you feel good and if you feel good your performance will be better, as simple as that. It is all psychological.

One of the best things about a jersey is there are so many different styles to choose from. You could opt for a professional cycling team strip, such as that of the Garmin or Sky teams. Alternatively, you could opt for one of the many various cartoon designs available, such as the Dennis The Menace design. Alternatively, you may opt for a more witty type of design. With so many different road cycling jerseys you can choose the ones that reflect your personality the most.

There we go, 5 reasons you need a cycling specific jersey. Now you know you need a bicycle jersey, I am sure you now want to know where to get one from, right? You can buy cycling jerseys from many different places including physical stores, just check out your local sports or cycle store, and many online stores. If you want unique jerseys it is likely you are going to have to go to a specialist store, which is more likely to be online. If you want the best deals and prices I would always suggest checking out the online stores first, just make sure you buy from a reputable dealer and avoid sites like eBay, which is notorious for selling fake and counterfeit products.

If you are concerned about the cost of road cycling jerseys there is no need to be since there are plenty of cheap road cycling jerseys available that are comfortable, great quality and will last a long time, which gives a lot of bang for your buck.